Joint for superheaters or the like



Jan. 3, 1933. E HOENSTINE 1,892,781

JOINT FOR SUPERHEATERS OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 3, 1950 j l M f 15 f? 10 w 12 :1 3 I g WITNESSES INVENTOR:

Earle E. 112612575326,

Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE EARLE E. HOENSTINE, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA JOINT FOR SUPE-RI-IEATERS OR THE LIKE Application filed September 3, 1930. Serial No. 479,518. 7

My invention relates to joints for super- The drawing represents a cross-section of a heaters or the like, and has particular relapart of a header, and a pair of tube ends, one tion to ball joints forming the connection beshown in section and one in side elevation, tween tubes and a header. In using the term fitted. with ball joints of my invention.

5 header herein I mean to include any form The apparatus disclosed in the drawing of pipe, box or distributing chamber used for Comprises generally a portion of a header 1 conveying a fluid under pressure. of a locomotive superheater, a pair of tube Heretofore it has been proposed to form ends 2 and ball joints 3 fitting between the the ends of superheater tubes for locomotives header and tube ends. Adjacenteach openwith enlarged heads having exterior surfaces mg 4 in the header 1 there is a rounded seat 5 of substantially spherical contour, these heads engaged by the spherical portion 6 of a ball being ground into rounded seats adjacent the joint 3.. The means shown for clamping the header openings, so that a yieldable steamtube ends 2 to the header comprise rings 7 tight connection may be had between the bearing. against expanded portions 8 0f the header and tubes. When such tube heads betu ends and a clamp 9 bridging the pair of come worn, as the result of continued service tube n and drawn tOWardS the header y or of being frequently re-ground, the tubes wi'ng" nut On bolt 10. However, the are necessarily reduced in length to sizes heparticular construction of the header and the low th tanda d di n i n Accgrdingly, means. selected for clamping the tube ends F 39 it becomes periodically necessary either to h r rm no p rt of the invention, and

build up the tube ends by autogenous welding, obviously ad mt of considerable variation. resurfacing and regrinding the built-up head; Wl h parti ular reference to the drawing, or to replace the header; or to cut ofi the worn Wl l be n th ea h tube 2 is eXanded at ball joint, and to upset or form a new ball end Its end o form a S ket 11- having an annuby on th t b Th fir t; t o thod n ilar shoulder 12 of a diameter considerably tate a considerable expense and involve obvig r han he body of the tube. The inner ous difiiculties. The third method requires a f e of he should r 12 is inclined at 13 to shortening of the tube to such an extent that an angle of approximately with the axis the unit when repaired must be applied to a of the tube, and resting upon his inclined 0 class of locomotives requiring tubes of shorter ac 3 th re is a Washer 14 of circular cross l th section, preferably made of copper, the wash- The object of the present inv ntion i t er being interposed between the tube end and provide a joint for superheaters designed to a right angled shoulder 15 on the ball joint eliminate the above recited difllculties attendforming a Steam-tight Seal between these ing the repair of worn tube ends. My invenparts. The shoulder 15 of the ball joint 3 tion is characterized by the provision of a defines with the inclined face 13 of the tube renewable steam-tight ball joint adapted to be nd a triangular cavity within which the inserted between tube ends and a header, and washer '14 is disposed. It will be apparent serving particularly to prevent wear upon the that as the tube ends are drawn up towards 0 tube ends so that the tubes will not have to be the header with the washers 14 and ball repaired or replaced periodically on account joints 3 in place,the washerswill be squeezed of worn ends, but on the contrary will last intightly and flattened against the inclined definitely. face 13 of the tube ends and the right angle Other objects and advantages characterizshoulders- 15 of the ball joints. Furthering my invention will be more fully apparent more, while the ball joints 3 are designed from the description which follows hereinto fit within thesockets 11, the presence of after having reference to the accompanying the soft metalv washers: prevents there being drawing, wherein I have illustrated one emany W ar On the tube ends. The eo-efficient bodiment of the invention and certain conof thermal expansion, of copper is greater '3 templated modifications as to details. than that of mild steel,,the material of which 1 a the tubes and headers are customarily made, and under all conditions of temperature the washer maintains a steam-tight joint. Allowances are made in the dimensions of the lower ends 16 of the ball joints 3 so that when the parts are assembled and a considerable pressure, tending to draw the tube ends toward the header 1, is exerted, the washer 14 will be squeezed between the three bearing points on the ball joint and tube socket, and a tight seal will be eflected. When pressure is thus applied by screwing the nut 20 on the bolt 10, each soft metal sealing ring 14 is pressed into a three point bearing from which it cannot become dislodged by shifting or by the customary rough usage to which superheater units are subjected in service.

From the above description it will be apparent that the ball joints 3, which are ground when made, and the Washers 14 are the only parts which are subjected to wear and these parts may be readily renewed. To replace the ball joints 3 it is not necessary to remove the tubes or any part of the superheater from the locomotive. The renewal of a ball joint 3 may be accomplished by simply unscrewing the nut 20 on the bolt 10, which permits the lowering of clamp 9 and ring 7 with the tube ends 2 a sufficient distance, so that the worn ball joint is clear of the shoulder 12. Accordingly, at repair points it is sufficient that a stock of ball joints and sealing washers be kept on hand, and there is no necessity for making provision for the difficult operations now used in repairing tubes.

The forging and formingof a tube end to the shape described herein can be accomplished with simple dies and forming tools, and the renewable ball joint can be produced at low cost. Furthermore, my invention While elminating the difficulties now attending the repair of worn tubes, does not involve any change of a radical nature in the superheater as a whole. The invention may be applied to present forms of superheaters without requiring any change in the headers or in the means for clamping the tubes to the headers.

\Vhile I have described the invention in some detail and with reference to a specific embodiment thereof in a locomotive superheater, it will of course be apparent that various changes in the form of the renewable ball joint and the tube ends may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claim hereto appended.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a superheater, a header, a tube leading to said header, said tube having an expanded end forming an annular socket and terminating in an end face inclined to the axis of the tube, a ball joint connection between 

